Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-09
RECIPROCAL TIES.

anu lt All tlllktliN- IT, ttp, IA
abundant measure. Ii is true that il does
not give 10 each citizen body guard. To
serve night and day. but il protects in u
general way. by general provision, made
for the benefit Of rich and poor alike. All
accidents and catastropheS are exceptional.
Many OF them ARE brought upon the vic
tins by their own acts or conduct. They
heedlessly handle Firearms. or they
get drunk and 20 ON SpreeS by way of
showing their patriotism or they engage in
unarrelS. OF are neglecttul, careless or
fool-hardy. Occasionally people are killed
from no fault of their own, or anybody
the state.
But As a whole e-and Ia a wonderful eN-
tent the state affords protection and elab-
orate facilities for the enjoyment of life
and property and for the pursuit OF happi-
ness One needs TO think but little of
these. and 10 enter tor moment or two
into details, to surprise himself at the vast
and varied provisions and projections which
ments give to all citizens.
1t then follows that the system under
which this is done is not-and cannot be
complete, unless the citizen reciprocates.
tects the citizen. The citizen should
therefore protect the government. or
the state. Or We may put the idea IN more
concise and intelllgible shape. i. e.. the citi-
zen must assist the government in assisting
him-muSt protect and help the government
in protecting him. This ne should do as a
patriot, because his allegiance is due to the
government; but he would be wise and
practical in doing il from self-intereSt For
il will be only as the great mass of citizens
cooperate with the state in this line that
the government is enabled to afford COM
plete popular protection and help.
How can the citizen afford the most Ell
cient aid 10 the state. in the discharge of
its duties to the people
First-By attending faithfully and con
>plCuously Ia his work aS citizen and a
man. lie should aim Ia secure the best re-
salts possible in his circumstances. He
should select intelligent, honest and ca
pable men Ia make the laws and To govern
the commonwealth. If he is a republican,
or democrat. or prohibitionist, of a
union labor partisan. ne should use his per
S"nal effort 10 put practical wisdom and
purity of principle into party platforms,
and Ia secure the nomination of the wisest,
purest and most capable men in his
party aS candidates. II the honest
and patriotic men in all parties would
march solidly to the front and secur. tn,
nomination of the very best men in the
ranks of their respective organizations
the best and most patriotic cit
izens-the men who can command
nv their w,lI-kuown good sens.-
and deservedly popular personal Qualities
the RESPECT of ALL CITIZENSHIP. stat. would
be in little danger whichever party should
prevail al the polls We should then have
partisan contests for principleS and ideas
there being little Ia choose between men
and the party which should have IN. best
principles, with the best men a. candi-
dates Ia represent them. would probably pre-
vail
Second-Ihe citizen can do much Ia aid
the state by giving his moral, personal in
tiuence IN behalf of the enforcement of law.
We have nearly law enough now. if efficient
Iy and completely applied To remove many
of the evils OF society. There is hardly
any description of vice or wrong doing that
Is not unlawful. But the average citizen
has, In some way. by some imperceptible
and gradual process, of the trend and effects
OF which he was unaware, picked out Ger
tain laws-good and wholesome as they
may oe and probably are which he decides
are not 10 be enforced. There is certain
hll'd OF unlawful common labor that the
average citizen says may be performed on
sunday ana II is. Ana the law says that
murderer shall be hanged by the neck
nhtli ie Is dead; ont the average citizen
TN 'iark county says that the murderer
no matter how haerant his crlme-no mat
ter how brutally bloody and terrible his
act may be-shall never be hanged by the
neck until he is dead-and the average jury
man decides that all homicide is either
in the second degree or manslaugh-
ter-usually mansIaughter-an the beast
Iy. red-handed villain goes to the peniten-
tiary for one or ten years, The written
law of the state provides that
the murderer shall be punished.
The unwritten law of the people declares
that he shall not. And in this respect the
people fail, fatally, in the discharge of their
duties to the state
Ii is not simply the duty of the citizen
n view of what is shown in the foregoing
% be partial protection-to refrain from
he commission of crime or misdemean0rs,